Heart of the Serpent King
by kutnerlove
Summary: After the war Draco is alone, as is Luna. They form a strange friendship that slowly turns into something more...
1. Loneliness

Heart of the Serpent King

Draco Malfoy had lost both parents and his family mansion was half demolished by the end of the war, but he was, at least, alive and he would continue to live, he had determined. He kept to himself, answering questions when aurors came knocking and hexing reporters off of his property until finally the magical world seemed to calm down somewhat and he was able to try to rebuild the Malfoy name. Hogwarts had offered him a chance to make up for his missing seventh year, but he had determined not to set foot in the school after the war was over.

He probably would have been thrown in jail and black balled from holding a job for the rest of his existence had it not been for Harry Potter and his friends putting in a good word. Draco resented that they had salvaged him at least out of the crumbling ruins of the Slytherin House. He set up shop in Knockturn Alley selling off heirlooms that had belonged to various death eaters until he could once again claim the Malfoy family fortune that had been promised him at birth.

A year passed without much connection to the outside world on Draco's part, but he didn't exactly notice. He was too busy trying to get over the death of his mother, who had been insufferably clingy, but his mother nonetheless, and his father, who had betrayed him and offered him to the Dark Lord as sacrifice, but who had given him everything he had wanted and needed in life. Draco didn't expect to go back to being 'normal' after the war as he wasn't 'normal' before, but he did want to resume his place as an heir of the Slytherin name and as a functioning member of the Wizarding community.

People generally avoided him, however, and he resigned to the idea that he would be lonely, if terribly wealthy, for the rest of his days. He was, therefore shocked when one evening a knock on his door disturbed his quiet dinner and he found Luna Lovegood standing on his doorstep. "Can I help you?" he asked her, his voice hoarse from disuse. He wanted to send her on her way, but something inside of him wouldn't allow him to be overly harsh with her.

"Draco…hello. I know you've been in this big manor all alone for a while and wanted to know if you'd like to join me and a few friends for dinner this Saturday," she asked. Her eyes were luminescent and her voice was like sweet music that soothed his soul, but he didn't show any of the joy that he experienced at her offer.

"Please leave me alone," he said, not unkindly. "I don't want or need your charity." He closed the door before she could protest, and his heart nearly broke. He felt as though he had finally cut off all of his ties to humanity, but it couldn't be helped. Draco Malfoy would not accept the friendship of someone who he perceived as a care giver for the downtrodden. He may have been dispirited, but he was by no means weak. He finished his dinner in silence, drowning in the sorrow of being isolated.

Luna Lovegood came back the next evening, and the next, and the next, and the next, but Draco continued to wave her away, his heart sinking lower every time he closed the door. 'Keep your self-respect,' he would tell himself as he sat alone after dismissing her. But eventually he had to give in, simply to know why she kept badgering him. "I'll allow you to join me," Draco told her one wintery evening, "But you will obey my rules and explain yourself fully." Luna had agreed and had then followed him into his candlelit dining room.

"It's beautiful, Draco," she told him.

"Yes, I suppose it is." He set a place for her at the table and they shared a silent meal, Draco not wanting to know the truth until he had at least had one meal with another human being. "Tell me why you continue to come to my manor even though I keep pushing you away," he asked after they were both finished. Her silvery hair glinted in the candlelight as she moved her head and he couldn't help but admire her beauty.

"I don't want you to be alone," she told him simply.

"Why do you care? Are you here to get information so you can have something to print in your little newspaper?" he demanded, not being able to control his anger at the thought of being exploited.

"Of course not. I just suspected that you could use some company." She was completely unfazed by his harshness and looked him over with her large blue eyes. Draco mulled her answer over for a bit before speaking again.

"I don't want your charity," he told her finally, looking away from her flawless features.

"I'm not here to provide charity," she told him. "I'm lonely in my apartment and thought that you wouldn't mind my company."

"I thought that your friends were always coming over?" he asked.

"I lied. I only wanted your company, Draco."

He looked her over. "Why would I want your company if no one else does?" he asked her. Hating himself for trying to crush the one person in the world who probably understood his loneliness.

"Because no one else wants your company either."

Her statement shocked him and he bit back the rude remark that danced on the tip of his tongue. "You're very strange Luna Lovegood," he told her after a few moments. He wondered whether he could afford to let someone into his world.

"So I've been told."

Luna left soon after this revelation. She told Draco that she would return the next evening at the same time, and so she did. Every night Luna would arrive on Draco's doorstep at the same time and every night he would stifle the happiness he felt upon seeing her. They would eat quietly, talk about this thing or that for a while, and then Luna would go home to sleep. Each night Draco lay awake for a while, staring out at the moon over the mountains and wondering about the curious creature that was Luna Lovegood.

Over the months he grew to appreciate the time they spent together and even to admit to himself that he liked her quite well, despite her strange qualities. Once they were comfortable with each other, Luna started to show up on his doorstep earlier and earlier. He knew instinctively that the knock on his door was her, partially because he had come to sense her presence, but mostly because she was his only visitor. Draco grew quite attached to Luna and within a year asked her to move in with him.

"It's the logical thing to do. You spend most of your time here anyway," he pointed out. She agreed and he gave her the east wing of the manor for herself. This is where our story starts….


	2. Serpent and Raven

Serpent and Raven

Draco awoke the first morning of sharing his manor with someone quite unsure of what to do. He wanted to go and see her, but assumed that she was still sleeping at 7 in the morning, as were most normal humans. He couldn't seem to stay asleep, however. He wanted to sneak into the east wing of the manor and watch her. It didn't matter what she was doing, he just wanted to see her. When he realized how insane the idea of sneaking around in his own home sounded, even to look upon a beautiful girl, he berated himself and settled for finding breakfast for himself.

A rattling in the kitchen put him on his guard, however, and he drew his wand, ready to attack whoever had decided to loot the Malfoy Manor. He barely stopped himself from cursing, Luna, however, he discovered upon entering the kitchen. She was searching through his cabinets and he caught sight of her long blonde hair and managed stopped himself just as he was about to flick his wand.

"What are you doing in here?" he demanded, sounding rather more harsh with her than he meant.

She turned around to look at him and beaming held up a frying pan. "Hello, Draco. I thought you might like some breakfast."

"Why on earth are you even awake?" he asked, dumbfounded as to the proper response to give someone who wanted to make his breakfast.

"Well it's hard for me to sleep sometimes," she said vaguely. He suspected it had something to do with her father's death when she immediately turned back to rattling pots and pans. She emerged from his cabinets with a few pans and spoons and a renewed smile. "What would you like?" she asked him brightly.

"You don't have to do that," he told her.

"Oh. Do you not like breakfast?" she asked. "I hope all those breakfasts we shared here weren't just for my benefit."

"No, no. It's just…eggs and kippers," he conceded. She beamed at him once more and went to the pantry for her supplies, leaving Draco standing open-mouthed in the doorway. Without having any idea about what the proper thing to do was, he exited the kitchen, in favor of sending an owl off to his shop to indicate that he would be in at noontime.

A while later, Luna interrupted Draco's morning reading of the Daily Prophet with the announcement that the food was prepared. He stood and followed her awkwardly into the dining room to find that she had made enough eggs and kippers for eight people. Coffee, Pumpkin Juice, and Butterbeer were all available and two places had been set at the large table. "It looks…lovely," he said, not exactly knowing what to tell her. They were never going to be able to eat all of the food that had been prepared, but he supposed that that particular fact wasn't relevant. "Thank you," he said, seating himself at one of the set places.

They ate together as per usual, quietly, but once they were finished, Draco started informing her of the addition of Neville Longbottom to the Hogwarts teaching staff. "I don't think he'll survive. The students will run right over him," Draco told her. "As rightly should be. He might be good at Herbology, but he's not exactly a hero, is he?"

"I think he'll do fine," Luna replied. "And he is a hero. He fought in the war."

"Yeah, Potter helped him out in that respect. He'd still be living with his grandmother if not for the war."

"I don't know why you hate him so much, Draco," Luna said as she began clearing the uneaten food from the table. "Neville is a good man."

"I don't think we'll ever agree on that point. Longbottom's about as qualified to be head of a House as I am to teach Muggle school children."

"It will be fine," Luna told him. Draco commenced to muttering about incompetence half-heartedly. He really saw no major problem with Neville teaching or being Head of Gryffindor House, but he couldn't let Luna think he had gone soft. It was true that Hermione had helped him during the war and Potter was less of a prat than he had expected, but some things could never change lest he lose all attachments to the past. He could never let Neville Longbottom or Ron Weasley gain anything without pointing out their flaws and predicting their imminent failure.

Draco went to his shop to check up on things at noon, as he had promised and Luna worked on a few articles for the Quibbler. He wondered how he had become so worried about Luna's reactions to things since she had moved in, but attributed it to the newness of the situation. Unbeknownst to him he was falling for her, something that before the war he would have laughed rudely and for a long time about with his cronies.


	3. Cauldron of Surprises

Cauldron of Surprises

Luna was waiting for Draco to get home from the shop, as per usual when an idea struck her. They had been living together for nearly a month and had developed a routine. She wasn't particularly against routines, but being a free spirit, she enjoyed variety in her life. With a satisfied smile, she gathered up some things that she expected to use and set about preparing the surprise for Draco.

Draco was in a particularly good mood when he apparated into his drawing room. He counted it as a good day of business, but couldn't help but smile a little wider when he thought of Luna waiting for him with dinner. He discarded his cloak and straightened his robes before venturing into the dining room. He was met with the sight of Luna stirring a large cauldron, her hair swept up into a messy bun.

"Hello," he greeted her cautiously, hoping she hadn't gone mad. He remembered some of her quirks from Hogwarts and was a bit worried that she had discovered something very loony while looking for Quibbler material and was now testing it out.

"Oh. Hi!" she said brightly, the steam from the cauldron turning her cheeks pink. "Good day at work?"

"Yes. What are you doing?" he asked.

"Oh. Well I thought I'd make something for you. I'd like to play a game, you see."

"Erm…ok. What kind of game?" he ventured.

Luna smiled mischievously and Draco's heart fluttered a bit. "You'll have to wait until I'm finished," she told him.

"Are we having dinner?" he questioned as his stomach protested the deviation from their routine.

"Yes. I have some stew waiting for you on the table. You can eat it there or bring it in here. Whichever you prefer is fine."

"Have you eaten?"

"No. But I'm fine for now," she told him. "I got very excited about my idea and decided to work on it right away."

"Ok. I'll just eat in the dining room," he told her. He was still a little wary about her fervor for this plan, but decided not to push anything too much, especially since she seemed to be so excited. He ate by himself and pondered what Luna could possibly want to do with him. He was quite content to sit with her in the evenings while she read and he worked on acquiring new items for his store and listened to the radio.

"It's ready," Luna announced from the kitchen twenty minutes after Draco had settled down at the dining table with his stew and the Daily Prophet. He cleaned the bowl and banished it to the kitchen, then folded the newspaper and steeled himself for whatever Luna was planning.

"Alright," he seated himself at the kitchen table across from her. The cauldron was gone and only two steaming goblets remained on the table. "Care to explain this game now?"

Luna beamed at him. "Well it's a muggle game I've heard some girls talk about," she started. Draco cut her off however.

"MUGGLE? You want me to partake in some kind of MUGGLE ritual?" He was flabbergasted.

"Don't be ridiculous. It's just a game, Draco!" He really wanted to deny her flat out and had he not gone through hell and back in the war to find himself terribly lonely, and a little changed he might have refused to continue. Luna was looking at him with pleading eyes however, and he had grown very fond of her, so he reluctantly held his tongue and allowed her to continue explaining. "The thing is, you ask the other person truth or dare. If the person picks truth you ask them something and they have to tell you the true answer. If they choose dare, you can ask them to perform some task and they have to do it for you."

"It sounds silly," he told her. "People lie. And people also refuse to do things they don't want to do. I don't know how muggles manage with such lowly ideas as to demand someone either tell you something intimate or do something for you. It's crude!"

Luna sighed and he stopped talking, however. "I've added a bit of magic to the game, though." She pointed to the two steaming goblets. "I've added Veritaserum to apple cider so we'll both drink and we won't be able to lie."

"Why do you even want to play this game?" he asked.

"It sounded like fun," she replied. She took a long drink of her cider and looked at Draco with her big blue eyes.

'Damn it!' he thought to himself. She was going to be disappointed if he didn't play along with her game. Feeling completely foolish, he drained the fluid in one. She smiled brightly at him and then finished her spiked cider as well.

"Do you want to go first?" she asked him.

Draco sighed. From what he saw, it was going to be a long night. Not only was he participating in a muggle activity, he also couldn't lie. He shrugged, ready to get things started so they would be over with quickly.


	4. A Magical Bonding

A Magical Bonding

Draco cleared his throat uncomfortably. He had no idea how he was supposed to start the game. Luna was looking at him with her large, blue eyes and he felt as though his very life depended on the correctness of his words. "Erm…" he started.

"'Truth or dare…'" she prompted him.

"Truth or dare, then?" he asked, trying to regain a bit of the authority that used to infest his voice no matter what the occasion.

"Truth is the proper first answer, I think," Luna replied happily.

"Right…erm…how many people actually read the Quibbler?" he asked, not fully understanding the purpose of the game.

"No…Draco. You're supposed to ask me something about me!" Luna told him. "And the dares are supposed to be something you want me to do."

Draco sighed. It was indeed going to be a long night for him. He thought hard for a moment. "Right then…what's your middle name?" he asked her.

"That's an easy one," Luna said light-heartedly. "Selene."

"Your parents were very into Moon names, were they?" he asked, a bit amused.

"I was born as the full moon rose," she replied serenely. "Truth or dare, Draco?"

"Truth," he replied quickly, not wanting to give her ammunition against him early by having him do her bidding, though he really wouldn't have minded it so much.

"What's your middle name?"

"Orochi," he told her proudly. "It means 'serpent king.'"

"Well that's interesting," she replied. "Your name means 'serpent king' and you were in Slytherin."

"It probably wasn't a coincidence," he told her. "I was expected to be in Slytherin and so they called me the serpent king. Father wanted me to be exactly what he was: a leader among the Slytherin clan."

Luna nodded, accepting this as reasonable. "I suppose that makes sense."

"Truth or dare?" Draco asked, not wanting to delve too deeply into his past for fear of dragging up old offenses. He was truly different than he had been before the war. Back then he had wanted only to please his father, not caring about the world or people around him. But the thing that had been Draco was gone and he was now a man. His father's illusions about people had been broken and he now simply wanted this creature who had agreed to share his house and part of her life with him to be happy.

Luna thought for a moment. "Hmm…" she tapped her fingers to her lips and the thought struck Draco that she was beautiful when she was thinking. He shook the idea out of his head and waited impatiently for the answer. "Truth," she answered finally.

It was Draco's turn to think. "Erm…why did you come here? To the manor after the war?" he wanted to know.

Luna smiled at him mysteriously and he felt very strangely, as though she was capturing the essence of his soul. "I liked you, even if you were a bit rude to me in school. I thought you were interesting."

Draco nodded, taking in the information that had been presented to him. Somehow he felt as though he wanted something more out of her. He had no idea that she was only telling part of the truth. She hadn't finished her potion yet and the drop that she had put into the cauldron for each glass hadn't fully hit her system yet. She felt a little guilty, however and drained the last of the drink. "I've also had a tiny crush on you for the last three years," she blurted out as soon as she replaced the goblet on the table. Draco stared at her for a moment, surprised by her revelation.

Luna clamped a hand over her mouth, immediately regretting her decision to tell him when he didn't smile at her. Draco cleared his throat again and peered into her pretty eyes. "You…fancy me?" he asked, a bit confused.

"Yes," she told him quietly. "Have you ever liked someone so much, but not had the bravery to just tell them outright?" she asked.

"Not until I met you," he said earnestly. Realizing what he said, a faint pink crept over his cheeks. He hadn't exactly realized it for himself until the truth came spilling over his lips. He fancied Loony Luna Lovegood. She was staring at him as though she had never seen him before in her life. "Truth or dare?" he asked in a whisper.

"Dare," she replied shakily.

"I want you to kiss me, Luna," he breathed, leaning closer to her. She closed her eyes and he was inclined to do the same as her soft lips brushed his gently. For a moment they were barely touching and the idea of not touching her was killing Draco. When he opened his eyes to scan her pale face he realized that she was looking back at him. There was a subtle hunger in her eyes that he didn't expect.

Their lips crashed together and Draco tasted blood. He pulled back slightly and would have moved away, scared to have hurt her, but she slid her tongue between the slight part of his lips to taste the coppery substance and he nearly melted. The remaining blood in his body rushed to his groin and he cupped her cheek with one hand and pulled her closer with the other. She let her fingers wander over the skin on the back of his neck, playing with the ends of his hair and Draco felt as though he could die and be eternally happy in that moment.

Slowly the two broke apart and stared in wonder at the other for several moments, hearts racing, panting as though they had just ran the length of the grounds at Hogwarts. Draco ran a finger over her lips that were stained faintly with his blood before kissing her again, this time slowly. The blood that passed between them had been a catalyst, urging them on and he knew that he must have found his destined mate. She sighed into his kiss and he reveled in the feeling. Who could have known that Draco's pureblood mate was Luna Lovegood?


	5. The Raven Rises

The Raven Rises

Luna was very happy to have instigated the game of truth or dare, but now that she was in Draco's arms she didn't ever want him to let her go. She sighed contentedly as he nuzzled her neck, giving her shivers. His tongue darted out to taste her throat and earned a mew from her. Draco pulled back to look into Luna's eyes once more. He couldn't get enough of her either. "I'm not usually a fan of muggles," he told her. "But this game was rather…interesting."

Luna smiled at him. "You liked it?"

"It allowed me to kiss you. Of course I liked it!" he admitted. He was still a bit nervous around her, however and his cheeks were pink.

"Oh, Draco! I'm so happy that you know how I feel!"

"I would have never guessed that you wanted me for a friend or lover or whatever," he said, the pink color getting deeper.

"Why not?" she asked. "You're handsome and powerful and smart, what girl would be able to resist you?"

"A decent one. Luna, I've done some terrible things."

"You weren't terrible to me when your parents had me imprisoned here," she replied simply. "And you've certainly changed since most of those awful things happened. Sometimes war can be a good thing, I suppose."

"Are you sure that you want me?" he asked her. "Because once we've gone farther than this I won't be able to control myself. Blood passed between us and I felt something."

"You're my soul mate," Luna said simply.

"Yes. So if you change your mind, do it now…"

"I don't want to change my mind," Luna replied dreamily. "I've wanted to be with you, and now I have the chance." Draco kissed her again, happier than he could have imagined himself ever being. He memorized her taste, her smell, the feel of her, and every detail of her face. She made him think of cool nights and orchids and he wanted to take her into his soul and keep her there with him.

Luna twined her arms around Draco's neck, pleased with the night's events. She could feel herself being drawn to Draco even more and wondered if he knew he was well on his way to sealing their fate together. He deepened the kiss and she let him explore the depths of her mouth, tangle his tongue with hers, and run his hands over her finely curved body.

"You're beautiful," he murmured, breaking the kiss for a moment. His lips were on hers again before she could say respond. He didn't want to lose that contact. She fit perfectly against his body, the planes of their figures, hers soft and his chiseled, completing the other in a way that kept them attached at the lips.

Luna's small hands slid under the silky material of Draco's shirt, wanting to feel his skin against hers. Where ever she touched him tingled until she was touching that spot again and he wanted to feel her as well. He apparated up to his bedchamber and walked toward his bed with her. She sank down onto the bed when the backs of her knees touched his sheets and he quickly followed her down. He settled her against his pillows and covered her with his body, hands searching her figure.

"Should we…do this?" she asked him as he nipped hungrily at her collar bone.

"Only if you want to," he told her, slowing his pace and searching her face for the answers.

"I want to, but…I need to know if you'll want to keep me by your side," she told him.

"I will…marry me Luna. I'll keep you forever," he whispered.

"I'll marry you," she replied, breathing out a sigh of relief. He continued to kiss her neck as she ran her hands over the broad expanse of his shoulders and back. "I haven't ever done this before."

"I'll take care of you, Luna," he told her gently kissing her cheek. Their lips met and the fiery desire erupted within her again. Hearing his promises of love and feeling so strongly about him was everything she needed. He slid her top up and over her head, dropping it beside the bed. He took in the sight of her newly exposed flesh, breasts heaving under a filmy bra, taut belly dipping into a belly button, then disappearing under her jeans. "I love you," he whispered against her ribs. He kissed every inch of exposed skin before returning his lips to hers and reaching around her to unfasten the latch of her bra. The shirt she had worn was soon joined by her bra as Draco licked the mounds until her nipples were hard peaks desperate to feel the warmth of his mouth.

When he had thoroughly explored her torso he moved down to slide her jeans off, leaving her in only filmy panties matching the aforementioned bra. He kissed her thighs, knees, calves, and ankles before returning to her lips once more. He fingered the lacy material for a few moments before pushing it aside to access her more intimate parts. She gasped as he deftly rubbed her clit, never having felt anything like what he was helping her experience. He traced her lips with his tongue as his fingers parted her petals to find her core. He dipped a finger into her slowly, pausing when she gasped again to make sure that she was ok. When she gave him a nod he continued pressing that finger into her, then pulled it out again to start the journey back up into her again. He picked up the pace once she was comfortable and rubbed her clit until she was moaning against his lips.

"What are you doing to me?" she asked him. He laughed gently against her neck.

"Something that you'll remember for the rest of your life. Something I hope you'll only share with me…I'd have to kill the man that touched you after me."

He slid down her body and positioned himself between her thighs. Still working her with his fingers, he kissed each thigh and then did the same with her petals. The first swipe of his tongue had Luna going crazy. He replaced his fingers inside her with his tongue and continued to keep the pressure of his thumb on her clit. She went weak as he plunged his tongue into her gentle folds and further into her body. He tasted her pleasure and kept going until she started unknowingly squeezing him with her legs, bucking against his face. "Draco!" she yelled out as she climaxed. He lapped at her opening until she settled down, and then moved back up to cover her with his body, his lips meeting hers to let her taste herself on him.

"That was…amazing!" Luna told him.

"Good. I'm glad you enjoy my…talents." He smirked into her cheek before kissing her once more, his tongue stroking hers. She automatically spread her legs wider to accommodate him and felt the extent of his excitement. He caressed her breasts as he kissed her with more abandon, readying her for his entry. He lifted her legs slightly, not breaking his kiss, as he pushed into her.

He paused, knowing she was in pain, and waited for her signal to continue. The pain faded after a few moments of his slow rhythmic stretching of her and gave way to subtle pleasure. She kissed him fully and he picked up his pace, pushing in a little farther, wanting to please her, but needing to take friction for himself. She was beginning to enjoy herself greatly when he started thrusting into her wildly and she panted out his name repeatedly. Every time he thrust, she bucked back, enhancing the friction. He could not have been more grateful. He buried himself in her after several moments of rogue thrusting and spread his seed into her waiting warmth, then lay spent beside her slight frame.

"That was really amazing," he told her breathlessly.

"I couldn't agree more," she replied, kissing his forehead. They lay entwined, both breathing heavily until sleep overtook them and they slipped away into the dark velvet kiss of oblivion.


	6. Past Demons

Past Demons

When Luna awoke the first rays of the sun were streaming through a crack in the heavy curtains that covered Draco's windows. She stretched out, remembering the previous night to find herself alone in Draco's large bed. She sat up and looked around, curious about where he had gone, but there was no indication. Not seeing any of her own clothes from the previous evening, she found a green silk dressing robe and slipped it on before venturing out of Draco's room and into the manor halls.

Malfoy manor was much larger than she had thought. She had been imprisoned in the basement, but that was smaller of course and she had been contained in a small cell. Her room was a fair size, but she'd never really taken the time to explore properly. This wing was large and open, however and she could tell that there were at least twelve unoccupied rooms on this side of the upstairs alone. Determined to find out more about the place later, she settled for going downstairs to search for Draco.

He wasn't in the drawing room or the kitchen and she seriously doubted that he would be in the library at such an hour, or any of the rooms his father had kept locked up to keep dark magic ceremonies contained or the BDSM materials that he had apparently been a collector of hidden from whatever company happened along. Luna sighed and put her search for Draco on halt in favor of getting herself a cup of coffee. She considered the possibility that he had gone into work very early, but dismissed it as well, noting that the doors hadn't been unlocked, nor the internal seals broken.

After filling a mug with the steamy hot substance that would rouse her more fully, she continued her search for her lover. She finally spotted him when she returned upstairs, sitting on the roof outside of a tiny window. She banished the coffee to the kitchen and climbed out after him, curious about his actions. "Morning, sunshine," she said brightly, settling herself beside him. He looked over at her then back out at the view of the valley.

"Isn't it beautiful?" he asked, nodding toward the view.

"Yes," Luna agreed, taking in the sight of the world before them. She also realized that they were very high up and wondered why it didn't seem so high when she was inside. Draco put an arm around Luna's shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

"My father wouldn't agree with anything I've done since the war," he said quietly. "Not that I mind…I've just been thinking about things like that for a while. I suppose I've changed my opinions of him in the last few years."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Luna replied. "You've the right to change your mind."

"I feel sort of like a traitor," Draco admitted. "Because I've strayed so far away from my father's teachings. Dismissed the elf staff and sold off most of his darker possessions."

"Elves don't exactly want to be our slaves, do they?" she asked. "Hermione Granger was right about that."

"Perhaps she was right about a few more things," Draco conceded. "But don't tell her I said that. I'll never hear the end of it."

"Have you talked to anyone from school since the war?" Luna asked.

"No. I saw Balise in the Alley once, but didn't really want to speak to him. Lousy git probably would have wanted to get a discount on my father's prized possessions."

"I got an owl or two from Ginny Weasley in the beginning, and a few from Harry, but they're off being famous. Harry's too busy for much, these days."

"Fame isn't all it's cracked up to be. I suppose he's getting what he deserves for being such a show off for all those years," Draco said with a hint of a sneer. "He's not all that bad; I suppose…not great, though, by a long shot."

"He did save the world," Luna commented.

"You saved my world," Draco told her, changing the subject altogether. He was tired of talking about things that had happened in the past. Sitting on the roof had given him time to think. "I love you, Luna."

She beamed back at him. "Do you think we'll be able to settle into normalcy again?" she asked. "The Wizarding world, I mean."

"Yes," he replied. "And in the mean time I want you to help me rebuild this world. I've got to carry on the Malfoy name, father would have wanted that, at least."

"I'll help you," she agreed with a serene smile. "But not because of the name. I want to help you feel better about yourself…you can recreate the name."

"I suppose I will." They sat entwined until the sun rose fully and hotly overhead. Draco was the first to move, needing to satisfy his growling stomach. "Breakfast?" he asked. She promptly agreed and they went inside.

The next two months were difficult for Draco, Luna could tell. She didn't know if it was because of the demands on him from work, or if he was just trying to get his father's ghost off his back, but she tried to ease his mind in the evenings with their chats and lovemaking. He told her of his desire to start work in the Ministry of Magic as Head of Magical Games and Sports and they celebrated, but not before Kingsley Shacklebolt checked them both out at home for dark intentions. Draco sold the shop and his hours soon became regulated.

Luna was pleased that Draco was starting to get back into society, but she wondered if she should worry about power going to his head. He proved her worries silly by taking her out and being distant from most others, though not in an overpowering way. Their relationship continued to grow until she welcomed him home one evening and was informed that he was ready to officially make her a Malfoy.

She found it strange that after so many years of awkwardness around him; she suddenly felt so at home and thanked Merlin for the change. "You should invite the Weasley girl and Potter," he told her over dinner one evening. She could only smile at him in return…Draco Malfoy seemed to have made a definite turn for the better and Luna couldn't help but be excited to join him in finding a new place in their community.


	7. Two Houses Unite

Two Houses Unite

Luna had planned the wedding and had invited a handful of people whom she though ought to attend including Ron, Hermione, Harry, Neville Longbottom, and Minerva McGonnagal. She had asked Kingsley Shacklebolt to preside over the ceremony and he had agreed. The only thing left to do was get to sleep the night before she would officially become Mrs. Draco Malfoy. Draco had insisted upon observing the old traditions of not seeing each other for 48 hours before they were wed and Luna missed the warmth of his lean body pressed against hers as she lay in bed.

After much tossing and turning, she was finally able to drift off at a quarter until 3, much to her unconscious relief. Her head was filled with visions of Draco panting over her and sparks flying around them. The scenes were so vivid that when she awakened several hours later she had to catch her breath and calm her fluttering belly. Ginny had come early to help her get ready and the redhead had brought bangers and toast from the Burrow for Luna.

"I can't believe you're marrying Malfoy," Ginny told Luna as the blonde nibbled on the toast. "I never would have imagined this."

"He's different," Luna told her friend. "Not at all like he was before the war."

"I suppose three years gives a bloke some time to change, I just never expected it out of Malfoy."

Luna simply smiled and continued eating her breakfast, unphased by Ginny's bluntness. When she was finished eating she sent the remains to the kitchen and Ginny began plaiting her hair in preparation for the upcoming ceremony. The process took nearly an hour as Luna's hair had grown to touch her bottom and Ginny was using the old style hair compilation for Luna. "Do you want to get into your dress first, or shall I put on the makeup before?" the female Weasley asked.

"You can put on a bit of makeup," Luna told her. "I'm a bit clumsy when it comes to powder, so I don't want to get any on the white dress."

"You're going to look absolutely breathtaking," Ginny told her as she set to work. "Malfoy will never forget how you look today."

"I don't think I'll forget how he looks either," Luna replied.

"You're really in love, then?"

"I am."

Ginny didn't say anything else about Luna's choice after hearing the words fall from her lips. She knew that Luna was a bit different than other people, but she had quite a good head on her shoulders and Ginny surmised Luna knew when she was feeling the real thing. "I always hoped to have a ceremony at Hogwarts," Ginny confided as she finished up the final touches to Luna's makeup. "I think Harry would like that quite well as well."

"Has he asked you, then?" Luna questioned.

"Not yet," Ginny replied. "But I've got a feeling he'll do it tonight. Hermione's told me he bought a ring a month ago."

"You two have been together for ages," Luna said. "I'm sure he'll get 'round to it."

Ginny smiled and the blonde smiled in response. "Are you ready to put on your dress? It's very lovely."

"Alright," Luna agreed. "What time is it?"

"We've got nearly half an hour before you're due downstairs," Ginny told her.

"Ok. I should get dressed then, I suppose. I'm going to wear a special piece of jewelry, as well." Ginny grimaced a bit, having experienced some of Luna's jewelry, but when she pulled out a small box with a sapphire necklace inside, Ginny lost all fears. Luna had turned into quite the sensible woman, she realized.

"Dad says muggle women have something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue when it's their turn to get married," Ginny told Luna.

"Well this is old and blue," the blonde girl replied.

"Borrow this," Ginny suggested, pulling a small comb with a blue flower painted on. She stuck it in Luna's hair and the girl smiled.

"I suppose I need something new now…the dress is new, do you think that'll work?"

"It should be fine," Ginny told her with a smile. "You're all set."

Luna waited nervously to go downstairs and see her husband-to-be. She suspected it had something to do with the fact that she and Draco were pureblood mates, but she had been dying to see him all morning. More than twenty-four hours without him and she was ready to break the rules and find him. When Ginny signaled that it was time, Luna was only too happy. When they made it down to the drawing room, twenty people turned around to see them enter. Ginny took her place near the fire and Luna walked up the short aisle of people to Draco.

She touched his hand gently and immediately wanted to hold onto him forever, shag him in front of everyone, and then go on with the ceremony, but she held herself in check. She wanted the thing done properly. She settled for lacing her fingers through Draco's and squeezing his hand a bit. Through the ceremony she would glance over at him and noticed that he looked as though he were in pain. She was worried, but didn't dare interrupt the binding ceremony. Draco put the thin silver band on her finger and the crowd cheered loudly.

Luna looked into Draco's eyes and saw mixed emotions, however. She cleared her throat after he placed a chaste kiss on her lips and they walked back down the aisle toward the entry room. "What's wrong?" she asked him in a whisper.

"I'll tell you what's wrong," he replied in a growl. He was speaking from deep in his voice and she was more than a little scared and surprisingly turned on by it. "I've been without you for a bloody ritual for forty-eight hours!" He pinned her against the wall and crushed her lips with his. "I'd ravage you right now if there weren't twenty people, including the minister of magic waiting for us to have dinner. You look bloody fantastic."

She smiled into their next kiss and followed him back out into the drawing room to invite their friends to the dining room for dinner. All through the meal Draco eyed her and she couldn't stop herself from tingling all over. His eyes racked her body hungrily and she knew that the evening would be magnificent.


	8. Celebrations are in Order

Celebrations are in Order

Once the guests had all left Malfoy Manor Draco looked his bride over in appreciation. He had been without her for two days and was never going to make that mistake again, tradition or not. He scooped her up into his arms and swiftly made his way up the stairs to his bedroom, laying her out onto the specially decorated, silk clad four poster bed. "You'll be lucky to step out of this room at all in the next week," he informed her. "I'll take you to Venice when I'm done making love to you…which might be a while in coming…"

Luna grinned up at her new husband. "I suppose that's alright. I don't mind staying in for a bit."

Draco growled low in his throat. "I love you."

"I love you too!" she managed before her lips were crushed by his. He ravaged her soft mouth until they were both gasping for breath. When she finally opened her eyes, Luna noted that there was a hungry look issuing forth from Draco's that she thoroughly wanted to explore. She also realized that they were both completely naked. She didn't bother wondering how that bit had happened, instead focusing on the feelings of absolute bliss she was experiencing as Draco looked into her eyes.

He bit down into her shoulder unexpectedly and broke the skin. The sensation wasn't altogether unpleasant. She found the fact that he was licking up the lines of blood that issued out of her flesh quite erotic, actually. She arched up into his mouth, desperate to feel more of him against her body and he was only too happy to oblige. When she finally stopped bleeding and Draco had finished sucking the lifeblood out of her he brought his wrist up to his mouth and bit down hard, then offered her the bloody mess in offering of the ritualistic mating completion ceremony. Luna took the offering and began to lap at the Malfoy blood.

Draco seemed to enjoy her drinking his blood even more than she had when he had taken hers. He threw back his head, urging Luna to continue the carnal ritual, loving the feeling of her pulling part of him into herself. After a few moments he had to stop her consuming all of his blood, however, so he once again attacked her lips with his own. The kissed fiercely, hands roaming over the other's body until they could scarcely control themselves. Draco positioned his throbbing member between Luna's thighs and pushed into her as he claimed control of the kiss.

Their thrusting and panting didn't last long; however, as they were both desperate for release and hungry for everything their lover could give them after being apart for such a long time. Draco pulled Luna close to him, nuzzling the back of her neck until he was on the brink of unconsciousness. "Draco?" the newest Malfoy asked softly. Draco grunted to let her know he was listening. "I'm very glad I kept coming back to you."

"As am I, lovely raven, as am I," he muttered into the silky silver curtain of her hair. They fell asleep, both feeling entirely complete for the first time in their lives.

The End


End file.
